Although it has been the Paris Stock Exchange recently, it is as busy as ever today.

This building, which has been more than a century old, has been mottled by the wind and rain, the masonry on the outside has long been mottled, but the interior is full of brightness, and the skylights everywhere bring bright light to the inside, and a large group of people are under the watchful eye of the skylight, shuttling around, noisy, like worker bees foraging for food.

The people are mixed, the air is cloudy, like a vegetable market, but here, there are no poorly dressed hawkers, only a group of uniformed brokers, no cabbage sums and leaves scattered everywhere, only scraps of paper coming and going, in the clean and bright hall, everyone is chasing wealth, and there is no time to look at the world outside the window.

Not long after the market opened, one of the most prestigious bankers in the empire, Baron Tangral, a well-known securities speculator, was surrounded by a large crowd and entered the temple of money, and soon became the center of attention.

In this world of money, wealth represents hierarchical status, and the more funds you have, the more powerful and influential you are, and the more you are worshipped, and Baron Tangral, with his financial strength that ordinary people can't match, is tantamount to one of the most dazzling gods in this temple.

For decades, he has been in this temple, from an unknown place at the beginning, to a star who is now in the limelight, I don't know how much effort he has put in, and I don't know how many times he has created a trend.

In the midst of these trends, countless people went bankrupt and depleted their family fortunes, and he amassed wealth at an astonishing rate. In the beginning, people hated him, but as time went on, as he had more and more money, that hatred slowly turned into fear, and then love.

When a person has an untold amount of money, he will be regarded as a superhuman existence by mortals, they will not think about how many undesirable things that person has done, they will only praise his ability, envy his success, and the world will always be like this.

After arriving at the exchange, the baron was full of smiles, sometimes greeting the people next to him, sometimes greeting the people passing by, setting up the shelf of the star, and under the gaze of the crowd, he came to a room on the second floor.

And only then did people notice that among the people who followed the baron were a blonde boy in a delicate purple coat, and a tall middle-aged man in a black coat with a pale face.

Especially this middle-aged man, because of his peculiar appearance and the baron's particularly cordial attitude, quickly became the focus of the surrounding audience.

"Who is this pretentious guy?" A trader bites his ear with a well-informed friend next to him.

"A new friend of the Baron, who seems to have recently come to France." The well-informed man lived up to his expectations, and immediately whispered in his ear, "I have heard that this fellow is very rich, almost as rich as Fouquet, so Baron Tangral is very attentive to him, and is bent on wooing him as a big client." ”

"Oh! I'll just say it! I see! The trader's eyes widened, then he raised his head and looked enviously at Baron Tangral upstairs, "This guy is really lucky, he can find the wronged boss every time!" ”

………………………………

The Count of Monte Cristo, of course, did not know that he had been wronged by the sophisticated traders and brokers of the exchange, and he was now looking at the Baron with a smile on his face.

"Mr. Tangral, it seems that your position is very secure, everyone respects you, and I have finally seen your strength."

"Of course, Count, it took me decades to establish this position. I can help my clients avoid losses and help them make a lot of money, so everyone wants to work with me. Baron Tangral, who had always been very deep in the city, looked very excited here, leaning in front of the railing, and looked haughtily at the crowd in the hall, "But, Count, I am a little surprised, as a new guest in Paris, you do not go to various places of amusement like everyone else, but tell me that you want to come to this exchange, which is very rare." ”

"Just as you are a rare financier, I am also a rare tourist." The Count of Monte Cristo replied with a smile, "I have been to too many prosperous places in the world, London, Rome, Byzantium and even Canton, I have seen all kinds of prosperity, so in Paris I want to see a different kind of prosperity - I think this is one of them." ”

Then he raised his hand and pointed to the roof of the building, "Behold, countless amounts of money poured out of the void, and then fell to the ground with a clatter, and finally poured like a tidal wave in the direction that the financiers had determined, according to the instructions of you financiers...... Isn't that a wonderful picture? Perhaps the fate of a country is decided by you in an instant. ”

"I have to say that you are very eloquent and very perceptive, sir." The Earl's analogy greatly moved Tangral, and he nodded solemnly, "If you can see through the essence of all this, it is no wonder that you have been able to achieve such amazing achievements." To tell you the truth, my wife thinks I am very vulgar, and as the daughter of a nobleman, she hates the mention of money all the time, but I will say that money is the most elegant and powerful thing in the world, and with it there is everything, without it, there is no reputation, no dignity, not even a country! ”

Charles stood behind the two men, smiling as they touted each other.

He could see that the two of them were deliberately currying favor with each other and getting closer.

The banker's motives were fully understood to him, and the baron wanted to pry open the Count of Monte Cristo's money and take it for himself.

And what about the motives of the Count of Monte Cristo?

Do you want to get to know more of a financial tycoon? Do you want to use the baron's investment to help him earn money for himself?

It seems to be, it doesn't seem to be, but Charles doesn't think it's that simple—it's a feeling that comes from the heart.

Seeing the Count of Monte Cristo smiling and talking to Baron Tangral, Charles always felt that this was an actor on stage, wearing a delicate mask and performing his lines.

What was really going on in his heart? What exactly is he going to do with being Baron Tangral?

Intriguing and thought-provoking.

Neither of them noticed the meaningful gaze of the young man behind them, they both seemed to be in a good mood, and the conversation quickly shifted to the exchange itself.

"Mr. Tangral, now that I am too interested in the trading of you financiers, can you please give me a look at it so that I can participate in this kind of game as well?" The earl suddenly smiled and asked, "You are a big expert in trading, why don't you recommend me some bonds that you are optimistic about, and I will try to invest in them." ”

"That's the connoisseur." The baron was not modest at all, but raised his head directly, "Earl, I am an expert in this field, a real expert, I not only buy other people's bonds, but also underwrite bonds - all the bonds I have selected for underwriting are real gilts that can make long-term stable profits." ”

"Then you recommend the one you are most confident in." The Count spread out his hands, "I will definitely support you." ”

"If you want to make a steady profit and add up a lot, then buy Treasury bonds, but there are not many of them, after all, many people rush to buy them." The baron leaned over to the Count of Monte Cristo and whispered. "If you want to make a fortune and want to experience victory, then I recommend buying the recent issuance of Spanish bonds and railway bonds."

"Spain? Why? The Count looked a little puzzled, "Isn't it a mess there?" It seems that there are people rebelling on both sides of the land for three days. ”

"Yes, you're right. However, it is precisely because of this that Spanish bonds are more profitable. Tangral's smile was a little more mysterious in it, "The bond market is like this, good news will bring price increases, bad news will bring down prices, and ups and downs are exactly what we need, that represents the profit margin, so the more chaotic the Spaniards, the better their bonds will be in our opinion." ”

"I see, I see!" "For investors, they hate risk, but for financiers, what they love is risk, and only risk can bring profits, right?" ”

"Your understanding is so correct!"

"But how do you do it? While using risk to make profits, while avoiding risks. The Count asked again.

"It's up to the financier himself." Tangral still had a mysterious smile, "Sir, no matter how contradictory things are, as long as a person has a mind and a skill, he can easily do it many times. ”

"I see, you're a man with brains and skills!" The Earl nodded repeatedly, then looked at Tangral inquiringly, "So, can I contribute to your game?" I want to be able to experience what it's like to make money with the most prominent people in the financial world of the empire......"

"Of course, I thank you for the trust you have placed in me." Baron Tangral nodded, but a hint of deceit flashed across his smiling face.

In his opinion, a layman like the Count of Monte Cristo, no matter how rich, no matter how vicious an outlaw, but in this complex financial labyrinth, there is no difference between him and a child, just a lamb to the slaughter.

As long as he does it well, he can definitely make the Count lose all his money and be grateful to him at the same time.

"That's great!" The Count of Monte Cristo raised his hand and made a gesture, "How about I invest a million in you at the beginning?" Please don't be too little, I'm just learning your way of thinking first and see the effect. ”

"Although a million is just pocket money in your wallet for you, it is already a lot for us," Tangral's eyes grew brighter and brighter, as if there was gold shining inside, "I thank you again for the trust you have placed in me, in the Spanish government. ”

…………………………

After noon, as Tangral had a lot of work to do, and the Count was tired of seeing the Exchange, Charles left the Exchange with the Count of Monte Cristo and rode into the bustling streets.

Because the road was crowded with pedestrians and vehicles, the speed was slow, but the Count was not in a hurry, and kept looking out the window.

"Charles, the Baron has just been recommending Spanish bonds to me, what do you think of this? Does your family have any investment in this? ”

"Earl, I'm really sorry, I don't have a deep understanding of bonds and finance. However, since people like Baron Tangral recommend it to you, and take the initiative to underwrite these bonds, it must indicate that there is a lot of room for arbitrage. Charles replied cautiously, "However, our family has no plans to invest in this. ”

After hearing Charles's reserved answer, the Count fell back into deep thought.

"If I'm not mistaken, is the market worried about the rebellion of Don Carlos and his supporters?" After a moment, he suddenly asked, "But as far as I am concerned, isn't the rebellion now quelled?" Carlos has been caught. ”

"You're right." Charles nodded, "His Majesty the Emperor wants to maintain the status quo in Spain and allow the direct descendants of King Fernand VII to rule over this great Catholic country. ”

"This scumbag is really lucky, and every time there are noble people to help." The Count pursed his lips and sneered, clearly disdainful of the dead King Fernand VII.

"You're right, he's a scumbag, but it doesn't matter." Charles smiled and nodded, "After all, he is His Majesty's father-in-law." ”

Although the kings of Spain have not been considered wise in the centuries since the fall of the Armada, even among this group of mediocre people, Fernand VII is a rare faint king.

When he was young, as the crown prince, he desperately fought with his father, King Carlos IV, and wanted to seize his father's throne, but the father and son had a quarrel, and King Carlos IV had to go to the French Emperor Napoleon to mediate.

But Napoleon was also a man of wolf ambitions, and his arbitration was to depose the king and the crown prince, make his brother Joseph Bonaparte king of Spain, and arrest the Dauphin Fernand. As a result, although the king reluctantly obeyed Napoleon's orders and abdicated into seclusion, the Spaniards rebelled, and eventually Spain became a source of rebellion for the emperor, who paid a great price for his absurd ambitions and became a major trigger for the fall of the empire.

After the fall of the empire and the abdication of Emperor Napoleon, the Dauphin Fernand eventually returned to Madrid and was crowned king, but he still did not learn any lessons, he abolished the constitution promulgated by the liberals, and then bloodily suppressed the liberals everywhere, declaring that he would restore his autocratic rule in Spain.

Because of his series of perverse actions, in 1822 there were rebellions in various parts of Spain, and his throne was in jeopardy.

And this time, his luck came again, and this time the French Empire became his new savior.

In 1821, Emperor Napoleon died because the new monarch was young, the Queen Mother Louisa was regent, and Prince Lucien-Bonaparte was prime minister.

Because of the political chaos caused by the emperor's death, this new leadership group was eager to establish its prestige and consolidate the rule of the empire as soon as it came to power.

At this time, Spain, which was caught in the midst of rebellion, became a good material for the empire to display its prestige.

Fernand VII, devastated by the rebellion, forgot his hatred and begged France to send troops to save his kingdom, and the Queen Mother and the Prime Minister agreed to send troops - the first time since the end of the Napoleonic Wars that France sent its own army to fight on its borders.

At that time, France's dispatch of troops provoked the consternation of the Holy Alliance, and European countries were very nervous about France's move to break the status quo.

However, because this was the French army sent at the request of the legitimate king to help quell the rebellion, the Holy Alliance hesitated and finally did not choose to intervene - after all, the Holy Alliance was the most disgusted with rebellion and revolution, and they could not and did not want to make an exception for the sake of France.

But they also collectively put forward the opinion that the French troops should never be allowed to be stationed in Spain.

After helping the king put down the rebellion, the Queen Mother and Prime Minister, who had already gained prestige, chose to take it as soon as they saw it and withdrew their army, while Fernand VII escaped the crisis for the second time and became king again.

The king did not repent of this lesson, and as soon as he returned to Madrid, he continued to rule in darkness, killing or expelling a large number of opponents, and covering the whole of Spain with bloody butcher's knives.

At this time, because of the civil strife in Spain, the South American colonies also set off independence movements, and the Spanish government, which was powerless to stop it, had to watch these colonies become independent, lose control of South America, and the country became weaker.

Fernand VII also paid other costs - Her Majesty the Queen Mother, when she put down the rebellion, proposed to the king that her son would marry the king's eldest daughter, Princess Marie-Louisa-Isabella, born in 1817.

Although it seemed that this was just a request, how could the king who was so anxious at that time dare to refuse? Besides, he also wanted France to continue to be his backer, so he agreed to this request.

In 1832, His Majesty Emperor Napoleon II, who was already 23 years old, married a princess eight years younger than him in a grand wedding and made her the Empress of the Empire.

However, the catastrophe inflicted on Spain by Fernand VII was not over.

During his brutal rule, Fernand VII married four times (all three queens died young), and no sons were born, only daughters survived.

In order to succeed his daughter to the throne, before his death, Fernand VII ordered the abolition of the law of succession to the throne brought to Spain by the Bourbons, so that women could become kings of Spain.

He died in 1833, and his three-year-old daughter, Isabella, became the new king, Isabella II.

After the new king ascended the throne, his younger brother Prince Don Carlos immediately launched a rebellion to overthrow the queen and make himself king, and the war began.

It can be seen that the entire life history of Fernand VII is a living history of Spain and the Spanish people, and it is really a great misfortune for the Spaniards to have such a king.

However, from the point of view of the French emperor, he did not care what kind of scum his father-in-law was, on the contrary, he would like to see his sister-in-law reign in Spain, rather than an ambitious and arrogant Prince Carlos.

At the request of the Queen Mother of Spain, he sent troops into Spain again to help her quell the rebellion, because there were too many rebellions in various places, so the French army also crossed the front line many times, using Spain as its own training ground, although the countries have been unhappy, but in the end they can only acquiesce, France has also plucked up confidence in this temptation, they know that the joint position of the countries is loosening, and there will soon be opportunities to divide them in the future.

It was precisely because of his performance in the Spanish counterinsurgency war that the Count of Malsev was appointed marshal by His Majesty the Emperor.

So, at least for now, Lady Luck is still in favor of Fernand VII, and his descendants are still reigning in Spain.

"According to you, Spain's bonds are still very creditworthy because of the support of France." After a moment of silence, the Count spoke again, "The bond that Baron Tangral recommended to me is really a good thing?" ”

Judging by common sense, since France has already invested so much money in support of Fernand VII and his daughter, it must do whatever it takes to maintain the fruits of victory.

Therefore, well-informed people in the market believe that France will strongly support Isabella II, so that the current Spanish regime is still quite stable, and the credit of bonds is acceptable - this is the essence of what the baron called "risky, but controllable".

However, for the truly well-informed, the situation is not so rosy.

And Charles happens to be one of them.

How should I answer him? Charles fell into deep thought.

In the end, he decided to betray the Baron a small time, using him to gain the Count's trust.

He didn't answer immediately, but smiled meaningfully.

"What, isn't that right?" The Count immediately asked.

"It should have been as you speculated, but ......" Charles raised his head and spread his hands, "Financiers are financiers after all, they are not that good, how can they tell others about making a lot of money?" ”

"And what do you say is the mystery of that?" The Count seemed to be intrigued, and his eyes widened slightly, and he looked at Charles inquiringly.

"I'll tell you the truth, Count—Mr. Tangral, he has money, a career, a status, and even a knighthood, but he's a big liar." Charles replied mercilessly, "It stands to reason that he would have been on the gallows dozens of times in the past era, but unfortunately, this is the case in our time, the bigger the liar, the more sought after, and the biggest liar can be richer than the prince, and everyone worships ......"

"Do you think there is a problem with the Spanish bonds underwritten by the Baron?" The Count was becoming more and more interested.

"It's not a problem--" Charles deliberately lengthened his voice, then waved his hand suddenly, "The problem itself doesn't exist!" is empty. ”

"Baron Tangral...... Peddle fake bonds in the market? The Count sat up straight, and then asked coldly.

For a moment, his eyes were full of fierceness, as if he had caught the swordsman of his opponent's vital point.

"It can't be said to be a fake bond, but it's almost the same as a fake, and it can even be said to be worse than a fake." Charles replied with a smile, "The railroad company that issued bonds was run by his subordinates, and it was almost an empty shell, and he took the right to build roads from the Spanish government by bribery, but nothing was touched, the assets and personnel were all on paper, and the only purpose was to use them to sell in France." A lot of people are deceived by appearances, but my grandfather fought in Spain, and he had friends and contacts there, so he asked us about it long ago - which is why we didn't touch this bond. ”

"I see!" The Count let out a sigh of relief. "Then it seems like a classic bond scam. He is going to speculate on the price first to attract people in the market to chase after the bonds, and then go short directly, and then release the news to let his subordinates over there go bankrupt and run away...... At that time, the money was snatched by him alone. ”

"Yes, although it is not complicated, this trick has been tried and tested, and those who are skilled in this trick have made a fortune." Charles replied seemingly casually, "Every time someone is fooled, I don't know if it's too stupid or too greedy." Who told them to get carried away when they saw the Spanish government, when they saw the name of Tangral Bank? ”

"It seems that the baron has played this trick many times, and has tricked many people." The Count of Monte Cristo said coldly, then looked up at the sky outside the window, "What a sinful man, hell will prepare a chair for him." ”

"These bankers will sell bonds to the devil when they go to hell." Charles joked, "Well, Count, now that I've told you the truth, it's up to you to decide what to do, and I just ask you not to get out of the way." ”

"Thank you, Charles, I really appreciate you." The Count retracted his thoughts, then turned to look at Charles, "To thank you, I have decided to buy a copy of this Spanish bond in your name when I buy it." ”

"Huh?! Do you still want to buy it?! Charles was taken aback.

"yes, buy, of course." The Earl regained his usual smile, "Since we know that the Baron is going long first and then shorting, why don't we just go with him?" It doesn't matter if he's a good person or not, we just need to make money with him, right? ”

"You have a point...... "Charles thought for a moment, "but you better be careful, you really have to be careful when dealing with this kind of person, you don't lose a big deal because of a small loss, in case the principal is gone, it will be troublesome." ”

"For me, even if I lose a few million, it's not a big problem, as long as I'm happy." The Count replied with a calm attitude that Charles had expected. "Don't worry, the one I bought for you, if you earn it, it's all yours, if you really lose, then you don't need to post money, we just watch a good show."

"Okay...... Since you insist on this, then I can only thank you. Charles hesitated for a moment, but agreed to the offer, "But, Count, you are so generous that I don't know how to thank you for a moment. ”

"Just keep helping me like you've been doing for a while, really, you've helped me a lot, Charles." Then, he looked into Charles' eyes again, and then suddenly bowed slightly to him.

"Thank you so much, Charles, you will never know how much you have helped me with these words, and I cannot thank you enough."

It's just a bit of insider information, is that so?

Charles was a little confused.

Regardless, it seemed that he had made the right bet, and used the opportunity to betray Baron Tangral's inside information to win the Count's gratitude and trust.

In that case, what else is there to say?

"Don't worry, Count." Charles smiled back at the Count of Monte Cristo, "I will serve you with the same enthusiasm as I have always done, after all, it is an order of His Majesty, and I admire people like you very much." ”

Just looking at his deferential appearance, who would have believed that this young man had now found a group of spies, and was methodically preparing to unravel the Count's bottom?

I'll know why.

The boy thought slowly.